When it comes to parks, if it’s only well manicured parks and IT-BT parks that you can think of, then you should visit Saragur in Heggadadevanakote taluk. For, here is a park which beats all the other parks in the country. Probably, no other place can boast of such a park as the ‘Sanitation Park!’

As the name goes, this park offers different models of toilets. One can visit this park to check out the kind of toilet that is suitable to one’s budget and space. Every aspect is taken into consideration during the construction of these models like the availability of water, construction expenses, user-friendliness, space, size of the family, income, cleanliness and hygiene, etc.

When it comes to sanitation, in fact, the situation in rural areas is a far cry from civilisation. People still need to be told about the importance of having toilets in every house. They need to be taught about basic hygiene and cleanliness.

Revolution
Heggadadevanakote taluk in Mysore district is termed as one of the most backward areas. It would have remained an obscure and minuscule taluk, had it not been for its revolution in creating awareness in sanitation. And, the credit for this goes to Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement Institute.

This institute has been striving to create awareness on health and hygiene among Girijans and rural members. It strongly believes in the fact that hygiene is indispensable in rural life. Creating awareness through training programmes and workshops, this Sanitation Park is the brainchild of this institute. In 2001-2002, the percentage of the use of toilets in Heggadadevanakote taluk was only 12. The aim of this park was to increase the usage of toilets in the taluk.

Due to lack of awareness, illiteracy and ignorance, rural people seldom use toilets. They are not aware of the advantages and importance of toilets and have several preconceived notions about them.
The members of the institute, during their visits to the villages, discovered that the villagers’ most popular notion was that construction of toilets was a costly affair and that a toilet at home posed health problems. The institute thought that the best way to create awareness about sanitation among them was by coming up with the ‘Sanitation Park.’

Toilet models
The park is located about 18 km from Heggadadevanakote, at Saragur village, in the premises of Vivekananda Memorial Hospital. Nirmiti Kendra in Mysore also has similar toilet models.

However, it is yet to realise its objective of creating sanitation awareness. The same idea and technology has been implemented in the construction of the Sanitation Park.

There are various models of toilets - whose construction cost range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 13,000. There is an opportunity for people to choose the kind of toilet that best suits their budget. At places where there is scarcity of water, there are toilets which can suit their respective problems and are environment-friendly also. The park also gives gyaan on the different systems of collection and distribution of waste. In organic farming, this waste is re-utilised in the form of manure and medicine.

Another speciality of the park is that there are toilets for the benefit of the visually challenged too. The visually challenged, who attended the training programme organised by the institute, shared their experiences. Based on their experience and opinion, 25 special toilets are being constructed for them.

Nairmalya Vahini
There are also various models of septic tanks, constructed from bricks, stones and mud. Depending on the size of the family, two types of septic tanks are available - direct septic tank and double septic tank.

People can access information in this regard from the institute, which has opened a section callled “Nairmalya Vahini,” and has 16 members in the section, who educate people. The basic objective of these members is to create awareness in each and every village regarding sanitation and the construction of toilets.

So far, 4,500 beneficiaries and important personalities have visited the park and have benefited from it. And today, the result is, the use of toilets has reached 46 per cent in Heggadadevanakote. As many as 3,000 families, inspired by the park, now have toilets of their won.

‘Sanitation awareness among communities in need and interested’ is the mantra of this institute. Youths belonging to various communities, women members of self-help groups, members of gram panchayats, anganwadi workers, cooks under the ‘Bisioota’ scheme, members of voluntary organisations, government staff, etc. have been instrumental in conducting continuous awareness workshops and training programmes.
For details, contact: 94482 46110.

Translated by Jyotsna P Dharwad